


Uncertain Future

by Rikerbabe



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Titan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-06-14
Packaged: 2018-03-19 04:03:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3595635
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rikerbabe/pseuds/Rikerbabe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Insight into Will Riker's thoughts after losing the Titan to Dominion forces</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It's all my fault.....the ship, her crew all lost over my mistake. I let the entire situation get out of hand and now the consequence of my mistake is all too obvious. Over two hundred souls, dead and the entire system is lost to the Federation.

The Dominion forces were too strong, too quick for the Titan to handle alone. I had kept sending request after request for any backup but Starfleet Command couldn't get another ship out here fast enough.

I now am aboard the Drake II, heading back to Starbase 418 to face a Board of Inquiry and possible Court Marshal over my actions. I've lost all hope as to being able to command or even stay in Starfleet. My career is in ruins but what hurts, no, kills me is that among the dead is Deanna and our unborn daughter, whom we were going to call Natasha.

I have no future to speak of, but there is someone who I can turn to in a situation like this. The Captain of the Drake II is a friend of mine from the Academy, Margaret Warnock. She saw the disaster that was unfolding and rushed to help but was too late. I later learned that she had disobeyed orders to stay away from the system.

I tried to bluff but the Dominion saw through it and attacked with such violence that I had never seen before. I'm guessing that the first war with the Federation and her allies taught them better techniques that they already knew. Margaret knew that Starfleet would have me kicked out because of this and she even put into her log that what happened to me could have been prevented. Starfleet was just as guilty of what happened as the Dominion.

She's putting her career on the line for me.....I saw the way her jaw clenched when she was contacted by Starfleet Command and told them that I wasn't to blame for the loss of the Titan and her crew. She looked so angry and her crew knew that the odds had been stacked against Titan. She later told me that she was going to log a formal complaint with the Federation Council and have this investigated. I was amazed that she would go to such great lengths for me. 

I remembered that some of the other cadets kept their distance from her, and it was whispered that she was a woman not to be messed with. Although I really didn't know her too well, I had defended her countless times and was even talked about by the cadets as well. She later thanked me for defending her and told me that her father was, or rather had been in Starfleet but did a few “stupid things” and was now in a Federation Correctional facility. I didn't ask too much of those “stupid things” but she won my admiration. We became really good friends after that and stayed in touch throughout the years. I had hoped to introduce her to Deanna, but she couldn't make our wedding due to having take up the tour of one of the ships that was lost at Wolf 359.

I don't know what my future holds now. I guess I would be sent to a Correctional facility and then after a few years go back to Valdez and try to rebuild my life. Margaret has assured me that she would stand with me and even fight for me to keep my commission and stay in Starfleet. I laughed when she said that if I were kicked out, she would resign and wait for me in Alaska. I had only found out after Graduation that she was from New Fairbanks and she also couldn't wait to leave there. Kindred souls as Deanna would say....

I am grateful that Margaret is there for me....I know that I would be there for her if our places were reversed.....


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will discovers from Margaret that the destruction of the Titan was no mistake. He discovers that members of the Federation Council and some of the highest ranking Admirals want a new all-out war with the Dominion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was going to have this as a one chapter story, but thought that there could be more written.....

We talked long into the night...Margaret was thoughtful and just allowed me to talk. She made sure that I wouldn't be disturbed and was amazed that she didn't have me placed in the brig. Her Chief MO had checked me to make sure I wasn't hurt or anything and gave Margaret strict instructions that I was to eat and get as much sleep as I needed. After talking for four hours I fell silent, empty and hollow inside. She reached and took my hand in hers. Margaret swore that I wouldn't be alone in this and that she blamed Starfleet Command for the loss of Titan and her crew. I started to tell her that I should have died along with the ship and crew, but she stopped me in mid sentence. I had been on an away team, in order to try to get a reprieve for the hostilities that were to come. She had reminded me that I was ORDERED to be on that team. Why it was determined that I should have been there, she couldn't fathom. 

Then it finally hit me....I was being used for an all-out new war with the Dominion. Margaret's face had tightened and her voice was like steel “The Admirals and some of the Council had determined that the Titan was to be blamed for the new hostilities. But the Dominion has proven to be even worse than before.” She said, rising from the couch and walking to the replicator. After ordering more coffee for me and another mug of tea for herself, she returned and handed me the coffee. “You were to be the focal piece of the new war, but as it turns out, they were already attacking several of our newer colonies. The point of you being blamed is moot.” She sat there on the couch, drinking her tea and still looking angry. “So, now what?” I asked her, finishing the almost cold coffee. She sighed, and placed her empty mug on the coffee table. “I don't know, just yet. But you are not alone in this mess.” she replied, rising from the couch. “Go get some sleep, Will. No one will bother you here on the Drake. You have my word on that.” She smiled and walked to the door. “I'll check in on you later, OK?” I rose as the door opened for her “Sure, thanks again Margaret...for everything.” Turning back to me, I saw a sad look in her eyes “No problem, Will. You're among friends here.” She turned and left me to an empty cabin and an even empty bed.

I looked around the cabin and picked up the empty mugs, returning them to the replicator. The silence was almost unbearable and I couldn't stand the thought of going to sleep right now. I left the cabin, intending to walk around the Drake and try to relax a bit. The corridors were dimly lit and I remembered that this would be the Gamma shift. The corridor branched out to the left and to the right so I decided to head right and just walk the ship. I found the small Holodeck and then the gym, but decided to see if I could find the bridge. But I might not be welcomed there at the moment. Pausing in my walk, I touched the wall panel for directions back to my quarters. In my wandering, I had lost my direction and was lost. Just then I saw Margaret coming down the corridor with her First Officer and she smiled. “Lost, Will?” I shrugged “I wanted to take a walk to see the ship, but got lost.” I said, smiling a bit. Margaret shook her head and turned to her First “I'll see that report in the morning, T'San. Right now, I have to play tour guide for an old friend.” T'San nodded and left us in the corridor.

She took a step towards me “Couldn't sleep?” she asked, softly. “No, I couldn't.” I replied, trying to keep from fidgeting. She smiled and motioned down the corridor “This way, then. I'll show you a few places and then you need to sleep. We're almost to the Starbase, but I can delay us getting there for a few more hours if need be.” We started walking down, she motioned to my left “That's the Enlisted Mess, the one down here is for the crew and the officers eat in this one.” I nodded as we passed them. Turning down another corridor, we came upon something that she motioned me to enter. I found a breathtaking view of the star field in front of me. “This is one of our few lounges that we have. I sometimes come here to be alone.” Margaret said, motioning for me to sit. “This particular one, no one else uses but me it seems.” I smiled “They don't want to crowd their captain. You of all people deserve this....solitude.”


End file.
